USC will play Wisconsin on Wednesday in a second consecutive trip to the Holiday Bowl.
The Trojans defeated Nebraska, 45-42, last season.
USC is 8-5 overall and lost to Stanford earlier this month in the Pac-12 Conference championship game.
Wisconsin, from the Big 10 Conference, is 9-3.
USC will play with a makeshift coaching staff after Coach Clay Helton fired defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, defensive line coach Chris Wilson, defensive backs coach Keith Heyward and offensive line coach Bob Connelly after the conference championship game.